Brigham Hospital performs first full face transplant in US

Doctors at Brigham and Woman’s Hospital in Boston have successfully performed the nation’s first full face transplant. A team of 30 doctors, nurses and anesthesiologists worked for more than 15 hours to give Dallas Wiens a new face. Dallas Wiens, the 25-year-old father who was severely burnt when his head touched a high voltage wire three years ago. The accident left him blind and without the sense of smell.

After 22 surgeries, Wiens ends up in Boston at one end of a groundbreaking procedure where he received a new nose, lips, skin, muscle and nerves from a donor. No details about the donor were disclosed.

Dallas Wiens, 25, before his face transplant

The surgery was funded by a Department of Defence from a $3.4 million grant given to the hospital to expand research in innovative medical procedures so that it can help soldiers with severe facial wounds.

Dr. Bohdan Pomahac, a lead plastic surgeon said “When I...

saw Dallas for the first time I was worried that there may not be much we could do.”

After the accident, Wiens said “he could choose to get bitter or he could choose to get better. His choice was to get better. Thank God today he’s better,” said Del Peterson, Wiens’ grandfather.

7 Responses

Wow, it is amazing that he survived such an accident. hopefully the surgery turns out well. It sounds that when the article states, “A team of 30 doctors, nurses and anesthesiologists worked”, they are saying anesthesiologists are not doctors. Many misunderstand what anesthesiologists do, but they are physicians.